Update Thread - March 13 - 20th

[JenniferC]

I didn't see one of these yet, so I'm starting one!

On Friday we had our week 36 appt, once a week from here on in. Although it's a grey area in Alberta as to whether or not you can have a homebirth between 36 and 37 weeks, our midwife said she'd let us have our babe at home if it comes before Wednesday (highly unlikely) because of our experience and determination.

Of course, NOTHING is ready yet, so hopefully that won't happen!

I weighed in at.....200 lbs. on Friday, never weighed that much before, still gaining a good 3 - 3.5 lbs. every week, and I'm hoping I slow down. I've gained 50 lbs. so far, and if I keep going at this rate it will be 62 lbs. before baboo comes!

The stretchmarks are just starting to appear, it never fails I was good until 36 weeks with Kaelynn as well.

How's everyone else doing this week?

[Carley]

Hiya

My mom threw me a babyshower this weekend. My whole family came up from socal to surprise me... I feel so blessed. I cried through the whole thing. It was really intimate & wonderful. We made onsies and talked. Everyone was really respectful & supportive of all of my "alternative" choices. It gave me a whole new perspective on my family... it reaffirmed their unconditional love for me & my baby daughter, even though sometimes I feel my choices are attacked.

My midwife appt was weird today. My bp jumped from 103 (my bp has never gone above 103!) last monday to 117 today, so I'm on pe alert. She checked it a couple times to see if it was a fluke, even waited till the end of our appt to check again.

Sydney is still measuring ok & her heartbeat sounds "great" but of course that made me a little sad. I had a feeling it was going to be high... I've been feeling really weird lately. Mel also felt that Syddo had dropped, but I already knew that from the wonderful scraping sensations I feel when she moves her head

Feeling strange today, but thankful I've made it this far without any complications. Hoping I'm just having an off day or something. Has that happened to anyone else?

[Daphnes_mama]

I am the same, still suffering from the sore throat. I went to the urgent care clinic this morning to have it looked at. The doc took a throat culture and I will get the results tomorrow. In the meantime, she wrote me a prescription for erythromycin (antibiotics) that I am not allowed to start until I get a confirmation that I do indeed suffer from Strep Throat. I did a little reading about these antibiotics and I don't want to take them! It is 500mg 4 times a day for 10 days!!!!!!!!!!! Hopefully, I do not have strep so I won't have to take them. However, if I don't have strep, what the heck am I suffering from? A viral infection? For five days? It's not like it is getting any better, either. I am just miserable.

That is my update. I can't wait to feel normal again. This one hour at a time sleep schedule is not working for me.

[AdinaL]

Here, tired, painting, moving this weekend. woo.

[Titus2fam]

I just wanna get some sleep. Between my eczema boy and my darling, nobody will let me sleep!!!!! I'm up in the night and then early, early in the morning. ARGH! That's all I even have energy to share right now.... (((((HUGS))))) sandi

P.S. I'm seeing all the things I wanna get done and feel like it's an impossibility before baby comes....

[jenny-g]

Originally Posted by Daphnes_mama

I am the same, still suffering from the sore throat. I went to the urgent care clinic this morning to have it looked at. The doc took a throat culture and I will get the results tomorrow. In the meantime, she wrote me a prescription for erythromycin (antibiotics) that I am not allowed to start until I get a confirmation that I do indeed suffer from Strep Throat. I did a little reading about these antibiotics and I don't want to take them! It is 500mg 4 times a day for 10 days!!!!!!!!!!! Hopefully, I do not have strep so I won't have to take them. However, if I don't have strep, what the heck am I suffering from? A viral infection? For five days? It's not like it is getting any better, either. I am just miserable.

That is my update. I can't wait to feel normal again. This one hour at a time sleep schedule is not working for me.

Hey there- if you do have strep, take the abx. Erythomycin is one of the safest antibiotics for pregnancy, and the standard dose for that IS 10 days. A lot of people prefer to take zithromax (fewer pills and only a week of them), but it hasn't been as tested in pregnancy as erythomycin. It can bother your stomach, though, so try to take them only when you eat something, etc. They are making the right suggestion here, rather than going for the more convienent/fewer pills but not as safe choices. If you take it, also TAKE ALL TEN DAYS. Since I was on this so much as a child/teen/etc, I'm completely resistant to erythomycin now, and that sucks. Taking it all will help that not happen. Also, on here people have a lot of great suggestions as to eating yogurt/probotics/etc to help keep your flora on the insides happy and healthy while taking abx.

Strep is going around our town right now, and my doula's kids had it... luckily, she has not wanted to meet with us yet. I'm terrified her kids are going to get me sick, as they ALSO had the flu. I have been so lucky to not get sick like that yet this winter... those darn kids!

On one hand, I hope you don't have strep and whatever you have goes right away. On the other hand, better strep with antibiotics than the freaking FLU, which has really gotten some people I know this winter down for weeks, with two months of bronchitis afterward. Ugh. Good luck!

[eilonwy]

Well, I should get my van back today... not that I'm holding my breath.

I woke up in a puddle on Sunday, and it was definately amniotic fluid, but I stopped leaking later that day, so no baby yet. I'm so freaking tired of being pregnant. I've got a horrible, deep, wet cough; it hurts to breathe, and my nose isn't working right. Nothing is, really. Everything sucks. And hey, guess what my doc said I can do about the cough? Take more vicodin! Just what I always wanted... I'm so depressed about this, it's not even funny. I only take it if I need something to help me get to sleep, because I know that I do need to sleep, but geez, why's it got to be so... miserable?!?

On the upside, Mike made hamentaschen on Sunday. Wasn't that sweet of him?! They were pretty decent, too, although I'm not sure what he was thinking when he replaced the vanilla extract the recipe called for with, of all things, cranberry juice. Not cranberry juice cocktail, but 100% cranberry juice, unsweetened. Just about any of the other liquids available to him would have worked better... I dunno. He did something very sweet to make me happy, though, and I totally love that.

I'm feeling really depressed and demoralized today, and ...well, like butter spread over too much bread. I just want to go to sleep or curl up in bed and cry. I keep having horrible nightmares about things happening to my older children, my son in particular, and then I wake up sad and miserable and that doesn't help things. Blech. Yeah, I'm very ready to get this baby out.

[JefsJen]

well, for about 2 or 3 nights in a row I have thought I was in labor. Fortunately I didn't call anyone. LOL Last night was the strongest so far, so maybe I am close. I was told by DH yesterday morning as he was leaving to go to work that I needed to work my butt off since no one had any clean clothes, the house was a disaster and nothing was clean or done in the past like 4 or 5 days due to being involved in that wedding. So, I worked ALL stinking day long. Got every bit of laundry done and put away (yay me!) cleaned the kitchen, including dishes, counter-tops, swept and mopped the floor and everything. Vacuumed the living room, dining room and foyer, steps and the boys room and the hallway. Going to do the rest today, I suppose, at some point...finished washing up baby linens that will be needed immediately after we come home. Cleaned the main bathroom, including the tub, toilet, sink, shelves and sweeping and mopping the floor in there too. My tub was HORRID! ARGH! I did NOT want to come home and try and bathe in that thing! Didn't know how I stood it THIS long, to be honest! har har. Over-all though, I plan on taking today pretty easy. I am tuckered out from yesterday, and if I went into labor today I would be exhausted before anything major happened. Next appt with the midwife is NEXT Thursday. let's hope I don't make it. hahaha

[Citykid]

I'm sorry to hear that some of you are sick and/or miserable! I really hope things get better for you.

I am really starting to be huge now at 33 weeks. Thank goodness the weather warmed up because I can wear more dresses to work, which is much more comfortable than the under-the-belly pants I was loving before. I've been really slacking off about exercise, and it worries me because I know I won't jump right back in once I become a mother. I just have to trust that my 10-year habit will stick somehow.

DH had a minor operation on Friday. Before it, he insisted that he would be completely recovered by Sunday and able to do all the work we need to do to prep the house for painting. He is still a wreck. Maybe that's because he refuses to take any of the vicodin they prescribed for him! I admire his determination to resist drugging himself, but maybe he would be recovered by now if he would just take one vicodin and let his body rest. It's just that I can't do all this work by myself. Plus he's cranky because he's in pain which is such a delight. I'm 8 mos pg, I'm supposed to be the one who gets to be cranky!

But our closet organizer is in, the bulky dresser is gone, our bedroom feels so much bigger, and this weekend we will spend the weekend at my mom's and when we come back the place will be painted. I'm so excited.

My coworkers let slip that they're throwing me a shower sometime this week. I'm so excited. My office is almost all young women, so we're constantly throwing bridal showers and baby showers, and now it's finally my turn!

We went to Purim services last night and I think we have finally found the right synagogue for us. Thank goodness! It only took us five years. I can't wait to start becoming part of an organized Jewish community again.

I guess that's my update. Happy Purim to the Jews and a happy week to all!

[nighten]

cont. from other thread:

Originally Posted by love_homebirthing

I've haven't been starving yet, but I've at least been more hungry. And when I wake up around 3am to pee then I've been feeling hungry enough then to actually eat something (usually a banana cuz it's easy). But I really haven't been hungry at all this pregnancy so I see this as an improvement!

Anyone else having to force their pee out now? Lately I just get a trickle a lot of the time but I can feel that I need to pee way more than that so I have to push it out. I suppose that's pretty normal though at this late stage.

Bananas in the middle of the night -- hehe -- I did that last night. And I've been having the pee issue too. Though not always -- sometimes I'm shocked by how much comes out when I've gone to the potty just like 10 mins prior....

--------

Angelique and Rynna -- so sorry you're both sick I despise e-mycin so I totally feel for you, Angelique. And Rynna have you tried the zinc stuff? Zicam? I love that stuff -- I used it twice last year and both times it worked wonders.

Off to the m/w today. I spent last night freaking out since I had a bad cramp in one spot in my lower left abdomen that would go away when I sat but as soon as I stood or walked, it was a sharp pain. No clue what it was, but it's mostly gone now and I'm relieved to be seeing the m/w today. Getting tested for Group B Strep. Wish me luck!

I apparently have been hit with a clumsy stick too. I knocked two bottled waters out of the fridge and they hit my shin. First thing this morning. Ugh. And the last two times I shaved my legs I cut the crap out of myself.

Speaking of, I cleaned off my foldup step stool (rubber and metal) and stuck it in the shower with me yesterday and sat on a washcloth on the "seat" part, leaned my head against a bath pillow stuck to the wall of the shower, and just let the water hit my lower back. It was wonderful! It made it a heckuva lot easier to shave my legs too, and when I was done, I just hung it up on the pegs behind the door.

The weather has cooled back off today, thank GOD -- I was sweating the other night and we had to turn on the a/c. But I woke up this morning to 50s and a gorgeous sunny day, so I feel much better.

Better go get ready. Happy Purim, Full Moon and Lunar Eclipse, all!

[2+twins]

Rynna -

[aweynsayl]

Originally Posted by AdinaL

Here, tired, painting, moving this weekend. woo.

GOOD LUCK!!!!! I'll be thinking of you!!! IF I make it past today.... FULL MOON AND ALL...... We'll be finishing up Baby's dresser, and having family over (from out of town) Saturday for lunch.... IF I make it past today, I get to go to opening of my fave show at the theatre I work at. That's been the conversation Baby and I have been having. I'm still pushing for March 26th.... it just sounds like a nice Birthday to me.

I was in the office from 1030-4 yesterday, and I was BEAT and crabby last night..... but feel much better this morning. Resting today!

Hugs to all who are not feeling well..... my alergies have started, and I'm a sneezy mess!

[Daphnes_mama]

Originally Posted by jenny-g

Hey there- if you do have strep, take the abx. Erythomycin is one of the safest antibiotics for pregnancy, and the standard dose for that IS 10 days. ... Good luck!

Jen, your post made me feel better. I also called my midwife to get her opinion, and she agreed it was the right thing to do.

I was in hysterics about a half an hour ago. When I saw the urgent care doctor yesterday, she said to call back in about 24 hours for results of my strep culture. When I called back today, some rude nurse was really irritated with my call and said that I need to give the culture three days to grow. Okay, I understand the science part of that whole thing, but what I don't understand is why they would tell me to call back today, especially when I am completely miserable, not sleeping for more than an hour at a time, unable to swallow, and told to refrain from taking the antibiotics until they know for sure. How long am I supposed to suffer, especially considering that strep is going around in multitudes at my DD's preschool? Having suffered from strep throat once before, I am certain this is what I have.

I was so upset with the nurse's news that I hung up on her, mostly because I was crying and starting to weeze because of lack of oxygen. You know how a person can get so upset and cry hysterically, trying to gasp for air. I haven't cried like that in ages, but all the frustration of the last week just built up and I lost it. I guess I freaked her out because the doctor I saw yesterday called me back. She told me that since I was so miserable, to go ahead and start on the antibiotic, as it won't hurt the baby and I can just stop taking it if it turns out I do not have strep. Of course, I mentioned my concerns about the antibiotic and she assured me that it was safe. So that is what I am doing. I made myself a snack and swallowed the first dose with a huge glass of water. I feel kind of guilty, as I truly hope they are right that it won't hurt the baby. I'll never be able to forgive myself if it does, no matter how miserable I am.

Sorry my last posts have been such downers. It is hard to feel normal when you are sick anyway, but being sick and in the last trimester is just the absolute pits. Once I feel better, I can feel more joy about the upcoming birth. Yesterday, I managed to put away all the baby clothes in the baby dresser in our room. It was exciting to think that a little tiny baby will be wearing them soon.

I am sending everyone healthy birth and baby vibes!

[aprilushka]

I hope everyone who's sick or in pain gets some relief before birth.

I feel very fortunate that I have no complaints. I'm not even really, truly sick of being pregnant yet, which probably means (as I suspect anyway) that I have a month left if not more. So I'll keep worrying about my garden and think about getting around to doing baby laundry, cleaning my pump and packing a just in case hospital bag this weekend-- oh yeah, finding a pediatrician would probably also be a good idea. I'm having my 36 week home visit on Friday and on Sunday I'll tell baby he/she can come whenever, though probably another two weeks of baking would be a good idea.

[eilonwy]

April, I totally felt that way with my daughter. Even at 2 pm on the day she was born (later by emergency c-section) I was sure that I could be pregnant for another month. Labor felt nowhere close, and I still didn't mind being pregnant. I was huge, and people stared (men turn into morons in the presence of a hugely pregnant woman, have you noticed?!) but I felt just fine and dandy.

With my son, it was more like this time: by 34 weeks, I was really, really wanting the pregnancy to be *over*.

My van is (surprise, surprise) still at the body shop; this afternoon's call from the insurance guy was like, "I'm really sorry, but I'm down here and your van still doesn't have any paint on it, to say nothing of trim... maybe Thursday?" Mike actually hissed and grunted a bit, he's finally come to the conclusion that this is unacceptable (remember, they told us March 10th). I just shrugged, because I'm not all that surprised. In fact, I'll be surprised if we have it before the 26th. I left a message on the other adjuster's machine telling her that I need a different vehicle because I can no longer drive the Taurus. I'm sure she's gonna love that. Well, it's not for her to like or dislike; it's simply for her to *fix*. If she doesn't like it, she shouldn't insure tailgaters. :

Oh, and I saw the endodontist today. This was a good news, bad news, worse news situation. The good news is that my bill ($693) won't be due until a few weeks after the baby is born. The bad news is that it won't be due because my work won't be finished until then. The worse news is why it won't be finished: apparently, there's a raging infection in my gum tissue and bones. He was really surprised at how swollen everything was in there, and kept looking at me kind of funny (apparently, I should have been more vocal about my pain). The regular dentist had given me the same look. I'd told him that the pain was bad enough that I couldn't eat, but when the regular dentist looked at the tooth and then looked at the x-ray he gave me this really odd look and said very quietly, "What have you been doing for the pain?" in a voice which suggested that anything less than general anesthesia would probably leave me miserable enough to stay awake all night. I really do have a high pain threshold, though; after the labor of my son, nothing else seems so bad. Don't get me wrong, it hurts like hell, and I really haven't been able to eat anything that's not room temperature and easily mushed with my tongue, but even this mess in my mouth can't begin to compare to the agony I endured bringing that boy into the world.

Anyway, he shoved some antibiotics up there and gave me a prescription for pennicillin to start if there's not considerable reduction in the swelling in a few days. Right now, it hurts even more because he cleaned out the rest of the nerve tissue that was rotting up there. Faboo. Oh, and when I told him my theory that that entire part of my jaw is malformed, he was like, "yeah, you're probably right. That sort of thing can happen." Loverly.

So yeah, I'm ready to have the baby now. Babies are cute and mini, they smell nice and are soft and sweet and loveable... I'm definately ready to have her *out*. I really want something good to come out of the mess that is my life these days, and a baby would be really nice. Healthy, cute, all bits in place and doing what they oughta. I'm ready. Bring it on.

[kyle98sean02]

Hi everyone. I have been doing a good job of reading lately but not posting. I saw my dr. this afternoon and baby is doing well. He did my group B strep culture and checked my cervix since I have been having mild contractions every 12-15 minutes since Saturday. Well, for all that contracting I am only about 1 cm dialated.
My u/s results of my gall bladder were finally in after 2 weeks and they called me all shocked and said wow, you have stones in there and a few really good sized ones. Yeah, witht he pain and symptoms I have been having, it was pretty much expected. So they told me to do pretty much what I was already doing, to eat a very bland low fat diet to hopefully not aggrivate it too much before the baby was born. So then, my mil and fil called us and said that they were going to Applebees with dh's cousin who is visiting from Texas and they wanted us to go. I agreeed to go since they didnt invite my bil and family since they had all been sick and running fevers for the past few days and exposing us to something now just really didnt sound like a good idea. The boys and I were all grimey and needed to get cleaned up but DH just got out of the shower so he left and we were going to meet them there in a half an hour or so once I got us ready. I told dh if they got seated and were close to placing the order to give me a quick call so he could read me some stuff on the menu so I can find something to eat. Well, long story short, it was happy hour and all the greasy fried horderves were on sale 50% off and my il's ordered a bunch and said they'd pay for them so no one even thought to give me a call to see what I could eat. I get there and ask about ordereing and they said they just did. I asked what was ordered and they said oh a little of everything and left it at that. They all knew what was going on with me, I had just talked to my dh about calling me about ordering something I could eat yet not one person thought of ordering me anything not fried. So, I sat there and watched everyone else eat and not one other person thought twice about it. So then they all left and went over to my il's house to play cards where they invited my bil who has been sick for the past 2 days and acted like I was over reacting because I wasnt happy my dh was going over there. Since it was at their house and not my bil's I guess he couldnt pass the germs onto my dh. They all figured since the kids werent going to be there it wasnt a big deal. I guess they just dont understand that my dh can bring it home just as easily as the kids and he ususally 90% of the time is the first person to come down with anything at our house. He got home about 1:00 this morning and went to bed. i had been in bed for a few hours, but was miserable with contractions, hip pain and heartburn so I couldnt sleep. I finally fell asleep around 4:30 and my ds woke up at 6:00 and my dh just grouched at him and made him cry instead of helping me out with him. He finally rolled out of bed at about 9:00 this morning and when I got home at 4:45 this afternoon he was back to sleep again and is still sleeping now. I am so miserable, frustrated and tired I just want to cry. My kids are acting out because I swear they just know when I am on the verge and I am about to explode. I called him at 4:20 and told him we were on our way home and how exhausted I was and how the kids were making it so hard on me so his reaction was to frikkin jump into bed before I got home so he didnt have to help. I am so pissed off and just making myself more upset sitting here thinking about it all so I should get up and go do something else. Thanks for listening to me whine.

[eilonwy]

Heather-- kick him and tell him to stop being a punk and start acting like a grownup. :

At the very least, you'll feel a little better.

Alternatively, you could sit down and burst into loud, hysterical tears... sometimes that works on guys.

[celestialdreamer]

If one more person tells me that I'm not going to have this baby anytime soon I swear I'm gonna explode! How the heck do they know??? My MW seems to think that I may have him soon, I think I might have him soon (since I'm just as miserable as I was a week overdue with dd and I had regular contractions all last night) but I've had everyone else today telling me 'oh its WAY too early!' I'm so fricking miserable that telling me that makes me want to smack someone! I know its very possible I could be pregnant another month at least but I SO don't need everyone telling me that I'm NOT having the baby anytime soon or that the the baby isn't baked yet.

My MW did go well today, everything is normal, GBS came back negative and she said its just a waiting game now. She seemed to think my body is getting ready for labor and it could be anytime. I have all our birth supplies (including the Vit K drops I picked up today) ready to go, the baby clothes washed, the carseat installed, the house is clean...the only 2 things that are in the back of my mind are the fact that my doggy is miserable from being spayed this morning and I don't have all my newborn wool covers in the mail yet (long story that will end up with me cursing about the USPS!). I'm guessing I probably won't have the baby until the dog is doing better and I have all the diaper related items ready to go but I am SO done with being pregnant. I got up and took 2 hot baths in the night last night and my tailbone hurts SO bad. Can he just come out please??? Anna is really excited to see the baby!

[mystic2mom]

Well, went to Wal-Mart last night, had 3 contrx in 15 mins, and almost screamed in pain. That would have got me some stares, so I bit my lip til it almost bled... no fun. I went home and drank a ton of water and laid down. No more bh. Yippee!! I had a dr. appt. today. Nurse stuck me in the back room and proceeded to forget me til my saint of a dr. walked by and asked what I was doing. I told him... waiting for you or a nurse to do my vitals. The the nurse shows up, says shes ready to do my new ob visit. He said, shes not new, read the chart. My pressure was up from the normal 100/50 to 120/96. Not good. I lost a pound. Then the nurse told me to move to a diff. room, had to do gbs test, yuck. I was not happy. Dr. let new student do exam and I yelled at him cuz she HURT me I was really mad. Baby hb was great. My cervix is dialated to 1cm, but he said to not worry. I've never dialated b4, so Iwas happy I told him about pressure and bh in Wal-Mart. He doubts I make it to my c/s date! He then said that my hospital didn't do vbacs, I was like, duh! But then he said, if I go in labor and "don't" come in until I was pretty done dialating, he would do one for me! Love my doc now!
My bud had a baby on my bday last week. On the way to meet her at the hospital, her bf was driving down our highway and some idiot took tombstones from the cemetary and planted them in the road. Needless to say, her bf almost totaled their new car. I hope they catch them. My doc gave them the money to pay the deductible on the car to fix it! He is a saint(and a priest)
I came home and started bleeding, which I was told to expect, but didn't expect to loose part of my mucus plug, which was gross. I am not contracting, but just feel icky, and its a full moon.My hubby was grossed out too btw, was in bath room w/ me. Can I take a bath after losing my plug? That would feel super now.
Hubby is being great after last weekends fight. Helping and made us all dinner. I had grilled cheese. Yum.
My mom may not make it here for the birth Her replacement at work's mom is now in a coma and he is her caretaker, so she has to find someone else or wait til this resollves itself. I really want her here. I'm really stressed over it.
My dd has kindergarten testing on May 10th. That is stressful too. She needs to write her name and address, her alphabet, her numbers and know all of her shapes. I was thinking that was what the school was for, but I was wrong. She knows all but the writing. Shes not too hot in that dept. Gotta while to teach her tho. Been homeschooling preschool and she is stubborn, so I figure someone else will teach her better, we bump heads too much, too much like me I guess.

Sorry so long, lots of news tho. Hope everyone feels better!!

Dawn

[jenny-g]

Today I went to the midwives at the hospital (there are 6, and you just get whomever is on call, so you try to meet them all first) and had my GBS swab (hurt more than I thought!). I didn't want to be checked, because, well, if I"m 3 cm dilated.. and then am that for FOUR WEEKS, I will go MENTAL. (I'm sure april 5th). The midwive completely and totally agreed with me, and asked if I wanted to be checked, but that it would give no useful information and could, indeed, make one go mental. She was really cool about it. So I managed to avoid being checked. I've still never been checked, so I"m nervous for when it actually happens since I have no idea what to expect. My bp was.. I forget, the bottom number was 80, though, so that didn't go up anymore, the top number was 120 I think. I did gain five pounds in two weeks though, even though I"ve gained enough weight for the whole pregnancy by now, and my legs and especially FEET are swelling to the point of just total and complete rediculousness. Really painful. They look like crazy feet balloons.

I hope TO GOD that I don't have GBS, because I just don't want to have to deal with *that* whole onslaught of interventions. It's hard enough in IL to be forced to have to have a hospital birth (so no helpful "just have a homebirth!" suggestions, please- it's illegal here), so I'm trying to make it as intervention-free as possible.

Very happy with our doula, who every single person with the midwives at the hospital knows and loves, including the nurses. We think that will help so much in getting things to be the way we want them- better than someone who is a stranger who would be more confrontational.

It's interesting to see how everyone else on here is doing. I have pretty severe PSD, and so have a lot of trouble walking and moving around (especially sleeping.. how could that be so hard??!!), so my house is a freaking disaster and I"m getting almost nothing done. I'm trying my best to cook meals in advance- I find using quart widemouth canning jars in the freezer is great, and have made quite a bit of stuff- but it's very hard work, and gosh. I just wish I could walk more easily. Anyway, not tooo long now!